Dear all, 

September got off to a lively start and has been full of activity—meetings, large and small, both here at the university, in Akureyri, and even internationally. There has also been no shortage of enjoyable events. Here’s a summary of the main happenings during this September, which flew by far too quickly!

• The first board meeting of the academic year was held at the beginning of the month, where we discussed IT matters; the school’s risk assessment; financing and operations during the first six months of the year; and preparation and planning for the academic year ahead.
• I met with Logi Einarsson, the Minister of Education, Innovation, and Higher Education, along with his ministry representatives, to discuss the state budget. The following week, he met with all university rectors to discuss the ministry’s financial strategy and policy. Later, the university division of the ministry visited to learn more about our operations—more on that below.
• We hosted two especially enjoyable ceremonies earlier in the month: the President's List Ceremony and the Scholarships for New Students and Industry-linked Grants. Students were recognized for academic excellence, with the President’s List including a partial tuition waiver. During the event with new students and industry representatives, scholarships from industry-linked funds were awarded alongside annual new student grants. It was a true pleasure to take part in these events and witness students being rewarded for their hard work and dedication.
• It was a great experience heading north for the "Soup and Strategy" meeting with local businesses, held at DriftEA in Akureyri on September 16. The topic was the future of technology education in Northeast Iceland. About 60 people attended to discuss how to strengthen the field and support its future development. The event was organized by the University of Akureyri and Reykjavík University, in collaboration with the Municipality of Akureyri and the Association of Municipalities and Economic Development in Northeast Iceland (SSNE). I am always heartened by the generosity people show toward universities and students by offering their time and knowledge to help guide us forward.
• The annual meeting between the university sector's cooperation committee and the Quality Board for Higher Education was held this September. The Quality Board’s annual conference took place at the Iceland University of the Arts, focusing on student well-being and support. Among the speakers were Gréta Matthíasdóttir and Kristján Kristjánsson, among others.
• Teaching is going well, and it’s refreshing to break from the daily routine and reconnect with students through instruction.
• Throughout September, we also held numerous work meetings—some full-day workshops focused on the university’s goals and strategy. Additionally, there were many internal meetings, often scheduled on short notice, but still highly useful and necessary.
• We received a statement and appeal from the National Union of Icelandic Students, Q – the Queer Student Association, and ERGI – the Queer Student Association of North Iceland. The letter expressed unwavering solidarity with LGBTQ+ students, condemned rhetoric and actions that undermine the existence, dignity, and safety of this important group, and reaffirmed the student movement’s commitment to human rights, diversity, and respect. – This is a vital reminder, and one we at Reykjavík University take very seriously.
• The Student Union at RU hosted its annual Olympics Week, which was a great success. It was fun to watch students from all departments compete in all kinds of unconventional but highly entertaining games. "The older I get, the better I was" – I often felt like joining in! But computer science took the victory—for the third year in a row.
• The RU International Day was also held at the beginning of September, with 500–700 students and staff taking the opportunity to explore various international opportunities.
• We had a visit from the Department of Higher Education and Science at the Ministry of Education, Innovation, and Higher Education. It was a pleasure to give them insight into RU’s work and research, and to show them our facilities. We visited Professor Hannes Högni Vilhjálmsson from the Computer Science Department, who presented his research on the use of virtual reality courtrooms for survivors of sexual violence. Associate Professor Erna Sif Arnardóttir, from the School of Engineering and Computer Science, also presented the Sleep Revolution and follow-up sleep research.
• The Executive Council approved continued development of two new academic programs—one as part of the NeurotechEU collaboration, and another in technology engineering. We also approved new policies on computer use and data storage, which will be presented at the next staff meeting and beyond.
• The startup Aldin Dynamics was named Startup Growth Company of the Year, an award recognizing strong entrepreneurial development. Thor Ice Chilling Solutions also received recognition for its impressive growth. The ceremony was held at the Botanical Garden in Laugardalur. Luckily, we were inside the greenhouse at Flóra during the event—it was pouring rain outside. The ceremony was festive, and in my speech, I emphasized that increased support and clear frameworks for innovation at RU are reflected in the growing number of patent applications and the increasing number of startups originating from university support. I also stressed the importance of supporting individuals who choose to pursue education at a time when technology is advancing rapidly—truly one of RU’s key missions.
• At the end of September, a Nordic rectors’ meeting was held, bringing together university leaders from all the Nordic and Baltic countries. These meetings are always valuable, with open and sincere discussions in smaller groups. Topics included challenges related to cooperation with universities and scholars in politically controversial or even unsafe countries—like Russia in the Baltics. Other themes included the long-term effects of COVID-19 on universities and the influx of international students. Institutions with the highest international enrolment are now facing political headwinds in their home countries. Much time was also devoted to global affairs and the state of universities in North America and beyond.

I apologize for not holding a staff meeting this September. With all the uncertainty surrounding the state budget, potential conclusion of the quality review, and other factors, I waited for more clarity—which unfortunately delayed things. But we will meet cheerfully this October!

In the meantime, I hope the academic year has started off well for all of you and that September went smoothly. Let’s remember to slow down carefully now that the mornings are darker and colder!

Warm regards,
Ragnhildur

Dear all, 

August is always a lively month, and things have certainly been buzzing around here now that teaching is fully underway. The past few weeks have been filled with orientation for new students, meetings, and preparations for the coming academic year. I’m feeling excited — and hopefully, you are too! Here's a quick overview of what’s been happening in August: 

• Students at the department of Preliminary Studies arrived right after the August bank holiday, and the rest have gradually made their way in. Teaching began on August 18th, and the campus is now full of life. We have around 1500 new students and exchange students are 127.  
• Two Executive Board meetings were held this month. Topics discussed included: 
  • Management of joint study programs (with related regulations under development since last spring) 
  • The use of AI in academic settings 
  • Minor amendments to the school’s data protection policy  
  • A financial status update 
• Heads of support departments also met to discuss finances, HR matters, and planned infrastructure developments in and around the campus. It would be useful to add Borgarlína construction updates and related traffic issues to the agenda of an upcoming staff meeting this fall, as a lot of effort has gone into addressing these challenges. 
• A new phase of the strategy rollout is about to begin, with the first phase nearly complete. A staff meeting on the strategy is scheduled for October 8^th. 
• The first board meeting after the summer break will take place next week, covering: 
  • Student enrollment overview 
  • IT issues 
  • Risk assessment 
  • School finances and operations for the first six months of the year 
  • Winter planning and preparations 
• A fire alarm was triggered in Sólin on Wednesday, August 27th. Thankfully, there was no danger. As mentioned in the email you received from HR, the alarm went off due to an obstruction of the linear smoke detector. The safety committee will review the incident and take necessary follow-up actions. This incident is a good reminder to always take fire alarms seriously. You can review the school’s evacuation plan.
• On a personal note: I’m teaching this semester — a refreshing change that I’m really enjoying! 

Lastly, I hope the summer treated you well — that you enjoyed the outdoors, time with loved ones, and got some rest before the busy months ahead. I look forward to seeing you in the hallways! 

Warm regards,  
Ragnhildur  

Dear all, 
happy summer! It was such a pleasure to see so many of you at the graduation ceremonies and the RU summer celebration. As is usual for this time of year, last weeks have been quite busy. Here are the highlights in bullet points: 

Graduations and Applications

• June 5 marked the application deadline for undergraduate programmes at RU. It was encouraging to see that there is a lot interest in studying at the University. The total number of applications, including those from abroad that had not yet been reviewed, was just under 4,400 — similar as for autumn 2024. Reviewed applications were slightly fewer for this year: just under 2,800 compared to just under 2,900 at the same time last year. Fewer applicants will be admitted than apply; about 1,500 new students — a little over half of all applicants — will be accepted this autumn. 
• On June 6, a graduation ceremony was held for the Department of Preliminary Studies, always a festive occasion. This year, 34 students graduated. Many of them plan to continue to university-level studies. It’s worth noting that the graduation speaker at the University of Akureyri ceremony had previously completed studies at the Department of Preliminary Studies. A comparable number of students complete individual supplementary courses within the programme — often to meet entrance requirements for the studies they wish to pursue — but this group does not formally graduate. 
• On June 14, I travelled to Akureyri to attend the graduation ceremony at the University of Akureyri, where nine students graduated from the computer science programme taught in partnership with RU. This collaboration is now in its teenage years, and it's gratifying to see that, according to an analysis of its impact, 80% of graduates are now working in their field in North Iceland. This really makes a difference. 
• On June 21, the main RU graduation ceremony took place in Eldborg at Harpa. A total of 697 students graduated this time, and it was particularly joyful that a record number of students — nineteen in all — completed their PhDs. The atmosphere was, as always, filled with joy. It is a true privilege to be part of this event, and I encourage staff members to attend at least one graduation ceremony each year. It’s a wonderful opportunity to see the results of our collective efforts! 

Meetings

• A staff meeting was held on June 5, where the main topic was the employee satisfaction survey conducted by Prósent this spring. The results were very positive overall. However, as discussed at the meeting, there are considerable differences in the results between units. We will therefore need to work further with the results both within units and at University level, where the focus areas include improving information flow, increasing transparency in the implementation RU’s strategy, salary issues, and strengthening RU as one unit — the “RU heart.” 
• The Executive Council met on June 10. On the agenda were draft regulations regarding tuition fees for students from outside the EEA, the establishment of a clinical neuropsychology programme, and interdisciplinary study lines. As is customary, the council works through issues until consensus is reached, so approval of the tuition fee regulations and criteria for interdisciplinary programmes (e.g., who is responsible for organizing, who is accountable, and how such programmes are funded) was postponed. 
• The RU Board met on June 12. Topics included the board's work plan for the coming academic year, the status of student applications, university funding, and the budget. Discussions also included when work might begin on student housing at Nauthólsvegur 87. 
• Spatial planning in the area has received significant attention recently, particularly regarding student housing, the area between the student housing and RU and Borgarlína. Meetings have also taken place concerning school facilities and potential expansion. 
• Work meetings were held with department heads and directors on RU’s strategy, its implementation, and the upcoming semester. It is valuable to reflect on what has been achieved, what is going well, where improvements are needed, and what people envision for the next academic year. 
• The steering group for NeurotechEU also met, including discussions on a joint master's degree programme that RU is developing in cooperation with partner institutions. 
• In early June, I met with Logi Einarsson, Minister of Culture, Higher Education, and Innovation, to discuss new programme proposals, our experience with the new university funding model, its stability, and more. 
• Finally, on June 24, the University Cooperation Committee met. The rectors approved a new resolution on academic freedom (as part of a Nordic initiative in response to global developments), discussed international cooperation in these turbulent times, and expressed thanks to Jón Atli Benediktsson for his collaboration. Silja Bára Ómarsdóttir was warmly welcomed as the new rector of the University of Iceland. 

I hope you enjoy the summer with your people and I look forward to seeing you in August! 

Warm regards, 
Ragnhildur

Dear all,
April and May are often eventful months in the academic year, and this year is no exception. Here are the main highlights in bullet form:

• During Holy Week, four of us from RU visited the German Jordanian University in Jordan. This is a technical university based on the German model and has been a popular exchange destination both to and from RU.
• RU's Annual General Meeting was held on April 30. Professor Þórdís Ingadóttir from the Department of Law gave a talk on tariffs and the WTO following the formal meeting agenda.
• The Icelandic Agency for Quality Assurance (IAQA) visited RU from May 5–8 as part of the institutional review process. Heartfelt thanks to all of you who met with the panel and prepared for the visit. We are sure to receive a lot of useful feedback from this, but already in the closing meeting the panel remarked on the strong quality culture and ambition evident from everyone they met.
• The Teaching Development Day of the Department of Preliminary Studies was held on May 13 and was a great success.
• In mid-May, a scientific seminar and a NeurotechEU Board of Rectors meeting were held in Bonn. I was unable to attend due to illness, but Óli represented us. The main topic of discussion was a joint master’s degree, which we will participate in and is currently under development.
• Last week, RU signed a three-year collaboration agreement with Reitir, a real estate company. This is an exciting partnership that will strengthen RU’s ties with industry and promote innovation. Among the elements of the collaboration is an annual student idea competition where students get the opportunity to tackle real-world challenges.
• On May 16, the University Council met, joined by chairs of departments (or their deputies). The main topic of the meeting was the development of academic programmes and shorter study tracks. The discussion explored questions such as what departments currently have in the pipeline and whether there are exciting fields we may be overlooking.
• This past Monday, representatives from Statistics Iceland came for a visit and we received excellent presentations on data-driven master’s programmes and research at RU, some of which are based on Statistics Iceland data.
• This week also included a full-day working meeting on housing issues and follow-up on the IAQA’s review.
• There are numerous PhD defences these days, which are always joyful occasions!

There have also been many events on campus recently. Just this week alone we hosted a major conference in collaboration with the Icelandic Football Association (KSÍ), an open house for prospective undergraduates, there was a science trip to the Open University, and today we hosted one of the biggest events of the year: Girls, Non-binary and Technology.

And there’s more to come! We’ll be holding a staff meeting around the end of the month. A new event, Boys and Non-Binary at University, will take place on June 4. The following day is the application deadline for undergraduate studies, and on June 6 we’ll celebrate the graduation of our University Foundation Programme students. On June 21, the graduation ceremony will be held in Eldborg, Harpa. Exciting and busy weeks ahead—enjoy the early summer!

Warm regards,
Ragnhildur

Dear all,
It’s exam season for the students, and most of us are quite busy with that, in addition to preparing for the three-week courses that begin later this month. So, there's plenty ahead, but the past few weeks have also been eventful. Here are the highlights in bullet form:

• At the turn of March/April, I was in New York for a board meeting of the Leifur Eiríksson Foundation, which provides scholarships for Americans to study in Iceland and for Icelanders to study in the U.S. The board meets twice a year, and this meeting focused on selecting around 10 scholarship recipients for next year, based on recommendations from the evaluation committee.
• On April 2nd, there was an Executive Council meeting where, among other things, the council’s operating procedures were approved. Joint interdisciplinary study programs were discussed, as well as RU’s tuition rules for students from outside Europe. It was also confirmed that a promotion committee had been approved between meetings.
• The annual general meetings of Grunnstoðir (RU’s real estate company) and Bakhjarlar (which oversees the research fund and other similar funds) were held on April 3rd, with the main agenda being the approval of the 2024 financial statements.
• The same financial statements were the focus of the RU Board of Directors meeting on Friday, April 4th. Immediately following that, a staff meeting was held where the 2024 financial statements were presented, along with brief introductions to the new support divisions: Student Services and the University Office.
• In early April, principals of secondary schools visited RU. This group hadn’t visited since before COVID, so it was great to welcome them. There was extensive discussion about admission criteria and requirements across RU’s different departments, what the first year of university is like, transitions between educational levels, and more. Representatives from most departments and student service units participated in the meeting, which was great. Everyone agreed we should do this again sooner rather than later.
• Later that same week, I met with representatives from Arctic Circle to discuss collaboration with RU.
• The week ended with a meeting with the mayor of Reykjavík and others at City Hall, where we discussed the development of the RU campus area.
• From April 7th–9th, a group from RU visited the University of Bonn to explore bilateral collaboration opportunities, as the two universities are partners within NeurotechEU. Bonn is a very strong university, and it was great to visit them—both generally and through meetings between various departments and units.
• From April 9th–11th, the annual European University Association (EUA) conference took place. More than 500 university leaders from across Europe attend this conference, and it has proven to be very useful. There are informal networking meetings for Icelandic, Nordic, and NeurotechEU rectors who are present, a closed confidential session for rectors (this time focusing on emergency planning and crisis response), and three parallel conference tracks—covering everything from university finances and increasing revenue, to open science, technology in teaching, sustainability in operations and education, and EU grants.
• And now during Holy Week, four of us from RU are visiting the German Jordanian University in Jordan—a technical university based on the German model. It has long served as an exchange destination both to and from RU, and it also plays a significant role in the technical education of Syrian refugees and more. I look forward to meeting them, aligning our efforts, and considering how to make the collaboration as fruitful as possible.

After Easter, we look forward to the three-week courses, RU’s annual general meeting, and a visit from the Icelandic Agency for Quality Assurance. Then I hope as many of you as possible take time to respond to the job satisfaction survey that was sent out this week. We regularly use Gallup for these surveys, but this one from Prósent is typically done every one to two years, and continues a tradition of over a decade. It would be great to get a strong response rate this time. A lot has happened since the last survey in autumn 2022!

But first, it’s time for the Easter break! I wish you all a very Happy Easter and hope you enjoy the holiday with your loved ones.

Warm regards,
Ragnhildur

Highlights from the last few weeks

Dear all,
the end of 12 weeks courses is near. Last few weeks have been eventful: A lot of events, RU’s scientists have been present in Icelandic media, e.g. because of Brain Awareness Week and the state of international affairs, and our students have been abroad competing and presenting. Here are the highlights:

Meetings

• In early March, an executive review for the Equal Pay Certification took place, followed by an audit, which had very positive results. The findings will be presented at a staff meeting this spring.
• There have also been frequent meetings regarding housing and international affairs.
• On March 6, me and Gullý met with the Canadian ambassador to discuss RU’s collaboration with Canadian universities. There is interest in further strengthening these partnerships.
• On March 11, The Executive Council had a meeting. Topics discussed included the council’s rules of procedure, RU’s organizational structure, and the status of housing matters. Additionally, one promotion committee was approved.
• On March 14, the Board of Directors had a meeting, covering topics such as regulations, organizational structure, and rules of procedure. A proposal for a compensation policy was reviewed, and preparations were made for the annual general meeting and the university council meeting in May. Perhaps most importantly, the university’s leadership was given authorization to continue working on housing matters in line with the approach discussed in the Executive Council meeting.
• A meeting was held with SFHR on various matters, but their major events for the spring semester have now concluded (apart from elections).

Events

• University Day at Höfn, Egilsstaðir and Akureyri.
• RU’s Department of Psychology celebrated Brain Awareness Week with articles on Visir.is and two events.
• RU’s Department of Computer Science had a symposium on the future of Iceland’s national healt system where the CEO of Landspitali University Hospital and specialists from abroad were among the speakers.
• RU’s Department of Law had a conference in Harpa about law and artificial intelligence.
• The Programming Competition for Secondary Schools was on March 8 and was a great success.

Other news

• The 2024 annual financial statement is ready and will be presented at a staff meeting once it has been audited and approved by the Board of Directors. However, I can already say that the results do not change the strategic direction we are following.
• The requirement analysis for facilities and housing is progressing well, and we expect to have a clear overview by early April.
• Our students have been actively participating in competitions and events, representing us in the best possible way:
  • RU students achieved the university’s best-ever result in an international finance competition held in Toronto, Canada.
  • RU’s team secured second place in the Nordic Case Challenge.
  • The winning team from Vitinn traveled to Boston this week, accompanied by me, Ólöf, and Hrafntinna. They explored Iceland’s seafood industry and presented their competition project both at Seafood Expo North America and during our visit to the University of Southern Maine. There, we visited the Ocean Cluster, various labs (which made us quite envious of the tech), and discussed a range of topics with President Jacqueline Edmondson.
• Preparations for the upcoming visit related to the Institution-wide Review are in full swing.

Finally, I would like to remind everyone to check the President’s calendar here on the website for updates on upcoming events.

Kind regards,
Ragnhildur

Dear all, 
The school year is flying by, and the twelve-week courses of this spring semester are now more than halfway through. The past month has been busy, including graduation, submitting RU’s Self-evaluation Report for the Institution-Wide Review (IWR), and University Day. Here is a brief overview: 

Institution-Wide Review (IWR) 

• The Self-evaluation Report was submitted on February 25. This report explains how we ensure the quality of our activities, including education and teaching, research and innovation, as well as quality management and strategic governance. More information on institutional reviews can be found at iaqa.is. In May, we expect a site visit from the review panel, which will then submit its evaluation report with findings. 

Meetings 

• The annual meeting between RU and the Icelandic Agency for Quality Assurance (IAQA) took place at the end of January. 

• A workshop with all department chairs was held to discuss the university’s development in the coming semesters, focusing on student growth, academic offerings, and staff workload. 

• On February 7, the University Council had a meeting. As usual, in addition to the Council members, representatives from the Faculty Association (SFHR), department chairs, deans, the executive director, and RU’s president attended. Topics included organization and operational rules, safety issues, and the implementation of the university’s strategy. 

• On February 11, the Executive Council had a meeting – to our knowledge, the first in RU’s history without the President in attendance! Óli chaired the meeting, where the following were approved: Quality Policy, Open Access Policy, Final Project Regulations, and two promotion committees. 

• On February 18, the Board of Directors met, covering topics such as facilities, staff and equality issues, RU’s asset management, and the evaluation of the board’s and university leadership’s work. 

• At the end of February, I met with the review committee evaluating Lille University’s institutional quality assessment. Since we collaborate with Lille through NeurotechEU, we were invited to participate as stakeholders. 

Events 

• On February 1, we had a graduation at Eldborg in Harpa – always a joyful and festive occasion! 

• The Dean’s List ceremony took place on February 19, which was also a wonderful event! 

• University Day was held on March 1 and was a great success. Many visitors came, and both the open lectures and the student-led campus tours were well attended. Thank you to everyone who participated! 

An overview of what is ahead can be found on RU’s website under the President’s page. President of Reykjavik University | Háskólinn í Reykjavík. This new page is intended for both internal and external communication. Here, I post speeches and addresses, hoping to give prospective students and others interested in RU a sense of what our University is like, as we see similar pages from other universities receive considerable traffic. 

Instead of sending large group emails, I plan to experiment with using the website for University updates, including these newsletters and key highlights from the President’s calendar. The page is, of course, public, so if this proves to be too much, we’ll find another way! Feel free to send me a message if you have thoughts on the platform, the frequency of updates, or anything else. 

Kind regards, 
Ragnhildur